A former Pontiac fire chief accused of taking a bribe admitted to breaking the law and offered to help undercover FBI agents in an investigation of city officials.

Jeffrey Hawkins, who retired as Pontiac fire chief in 2011, made those statements during an interview with an FBI agent in 2010. The recording was played Tuesday during the first day of testimony in the trial against Hawkins.

Hawkins is accused of accepting a $500 bribe from a manager at Little David's Island Bar, 22 E. Kennett in Pontiac, later known as Porky's Bikini Bar.

In the recording, Hawkins was asked by FBI agents whether he had any knowledge of possible bribery activity involving former Pontiac City Councilman Everett Seay -- who pleaded guilty to bribery in March -- and current Council President Lee Jones.

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Jones has not been charged with any crime.

The manager of Little David's Island Bar -- an FBI informant -- told FBI Agent James Hoppe that Hawkins approached him in 2009.

The informant, who was facing a cocaine delivery charge, said the bar had been under scrutiny from Hawkins and others about various code violations.

Hawkins visited the bar during the Woodward Dream Cruise on Aug. 14, 2009, where he spoke with the informant.

"You guys got a nice business here," the informant said Hawkins told him.

"I'm sure if you guys made some kind of donation (to the city), that would probably keep them out of your hair."

Hawkins said the business should pay $500 to $1,000 for refreshments at a city picnic, the informant testified.

"During that conversation, I told him to come back and we would figure it out about the donation," the informant said.

"It didn't seem right what he was trying to ask for. It seemed like a bribe to me."

The informant went to Hoppe with the information, who he said he'd already been working with in case involving "councilmen and bribes."

Hoppe handed over an audio recorder, and the informant recorded a conversation with Hawkins.

During the conversation, the men first discussed a sign outside of the business and then entered a basement office, where the informant brought up a wet T-shirt contest flier from another Pontiac bar.

"How the hell they got that s--? That is some bulls--, dog," the informant said, noting he was not allowed to host wet T-shirt contests.

The informant pulled out $500 and handed it to Hawkins. He said he'd give him another $500, and the plan was for Hoppe to be present at that meeting.

In exchange for information in multiple cases, the informant had a sentence for delivery of cocaine reduced from 15 months to eight months in prison.

Following the informant's testimony, retired FBI Agent Paul Brasmer took the stand. Brasmer questioned Hawkins in an FBI vehicle in 2010.

Brasmer began the interview by asking about the Pontiac Silverdome. He said there had been a gas leak at the venue, as well as a lack of sprinklers and smoke detectors.

Hawkins said he had an adversarial relationship with then-Fire Marshal Darryl Fowlkes, and Fowlkes either didn't want to or wasn't allowed to examine conditions at the Silverdome.

Fowlkes was suspended from his job in late December 2010 for "not following directives that were given," Hawkins said at the time. Fowlkes was later reinstated and retired from the Pontiac Fire Department when it merged into the Waterford Regional Fire Department.The former fire marshal is expected to be called to the witness stand Thursday.

Brasmer asked whether Hawkins knew of any relationship between the owners of the Silverdome and city officials. Later in the conversation, Hawkins was asked about the Silverdome auction. Both times, Hawkins denied any knowledge of a relationship between officials with the stadium and the city.

Brasmer then asked Hawkins if he knew about Seay or Jones being affiliated with a fictitious pawn shop and gold exchange business FBI agents had set up to launder money.

Seay pleaded guilty to bribery in U.S. District Court in March and is scheduled to be sentenced June 26. Seay, who served on council for more than 20 years, was indicted last fall on charges of conspiracy, bribery, drug trafficking and aiding and abetting a crime. All but the bribery charge were dropped as part of a plea agreement Seay reached with the government.

"We understand a considerable amount of money was paid to Everett Seay and Lee Jones," Brasmer said to Hawkins.

"You have no knowledge of that?"

Hawkins said he didn't know anything about possible bribery activity. He admitted to taking $500 from the informant for the employee picnic.

"Frankly, that money wasn't for the picnic," Brasmer said.

"It was to get the inspectors off the island bar's back ... Is that true?"

Hawkins was silent for a moment before quietly mumbling an expletive.

"Truly my intent on the $500 was for the city employees picnic," Hawkins said later in the interview.

"Mostly everything I've done was to help somebody else ... I've broken the law. I realize that, but I want to minimize this as much as possible."

Hawkins said it was a one-time deal.

"Lee (Jones) called and asked me to give this guy (the informant) a call," Hawkins said.

"He said 'It's up to you, but they need some help over here (at Little David's)."

Agents continuously urged Hawkins to tell the truth. Hawkins admitted to asking for an $800 donation from a fire truck company while the late Clarence Phillips was mayor, but the company rebuffed the solicitation.

The company "made mention things were tight," Hawkins said.

"I was like 'There's no obligation.'"

Agents again asked Hawkins whether he had any dirt on anyone.

"(Pontiac) is the biggest small town I've ever seen," another agent who was in the vehicle told Hawkins.

"Everyone knows something about everybody."

Hawkins was again asked about the Silverdome sale before being asked if there were any ongoing issues in the building department.

"There's always ongoing issues in that department," Hawkins said.

The entire recording spanned about 40 minutes. Brasmer will re-take the stand at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.